1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically handling bags such as sacks which are to be picked up successively by filling spouts. The invention also relates to a method for handling such bags on the inventive apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In both rotary and stationary packing machines the sack magazines associated therewith have hitherto been filed with empty valved sacks by hand, regardless of whether the sacks are afterwards placed on the filling spouts of the packer by hand or automatically. For this purpose the empty sacks have been supplied in bundles of, for example, 50 sacks which the operators of the packer place in the sack magazine. When the placing of sacks on the filling spout is manully accomplished, filling of the sack magazine from a pallet stack -- which in its simplest form may be a table or the like -- on which sacks have been stacked, comprises one of the natural tasks of the operator. In more modern packing machines provided with automatic means for placing sacks on the filling spouts of the packer, it has hitherto been necessary to provide an operator at the machine to fill the sack magazine. In these cases the magazine is often formed as a type of cassette with special means for advancing the sacks to the position in which they are picked up automatically after having been placed in the magazine.
British Pat. No. 350,165 relates to an apparatus for lessening breakage, noise and dust at the discharge point of conveyors. The apparatus consists of an endless belt which is passed over two or more pulleys or wheels, the belt being so arranged that it makes contact with materials being carried on an associated conveyor as the materials reach the discharge point of the conveyor belt. This prevents the material from falling a substantial distance before reaching a contact point thereby substantially decreasing breakage, dust, and noise at the discharge location of the associated conveyor belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,212 to Donnell relates to a bucket type conveyor mechanism. The apparatus consists of a flexible endless belt with a plurality of compartments located thereon with the sidewalls thereof mounted so that the bottom edges conform to the configuration of the belt.
South African Pat. No. 63/526 relates to a conveyor belt having side walls and adjustable cross walls.
According to my invention a self-filling sack magazine is provided which renders manual operation at the packer itself superfluous. The vicinity of such a machine is not an attractive working place due to the dust nuisance. A magazine is provided for feeding empty sacks, of the type having a mouth with or forming part of a valve which are to be automatically placed one by one on the filling spouts of an automatic packing machine so as to be filled with powder material such as cement.